What does lividity refer to in a forensic context?

Lividity in a forensic context refers to the pooling of blood in the body after death, which occurs due to gravity causing the blood to settle in the lowest parts of the body. This process typically begins a few hours after death and can provide vital information for forensic investigators, such as the position of the body at the time of death and the time elapsed since death. The appearance of lividity can change over time, indicating whether the body has been moved after pooling has occurred.

The other options, while also relevant to post-mortem changes, describe different phenomena. The clouding of the cornea refers to changes in the eyes after death, body temperature change relates to the cooling process known as algor mortis, and rigor mortis onset refers to the stiffening of muscles after death. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for accurate forensic analysis.